Baby Mine
by KayValo87
Summary: How did the Tracy family cope with each new arrival?
1. Scott

**Hello again!**

Here is the story I promised after finishing "Wings of Honor." I started it so long ago that I'm not actually sure how it got started. Anyway, I hope you like it.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to my sisters, especially Cherise who, though she has never watched the show, provided all the beta work.

Enjoy ...

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Jeff watched in indescribable wonder. His wife, sweaty and exhausted, smiled at him as she held a tiny bundle in her arms. Their son; Scott Carpenter Tracy.

"Look at him, Lucy," Jeff whispered. "He's perfect."

Reaching out, he placed his finger inside his son's hand. He was aware the way Scott gripped him was a reflex, but for a moment he let himself forget the facts, so he could pretend that his baby boy was reaching out for him. For that moment, the world was at peace.

"He looks just like you, Jeff," his own mother commented. "I just wish your father could be here to see this."

The thought of his dad brought a wave of sadness over him. He had only been gone a year, passing just a few months before they discovered that Lucy was pregnant. Jeff had once believed that Grant Tracy was unstoppable; the powerful force that held his family together. When he died, the real strength in his family was found. It was love, and it was looking up at him now through tiny blue eyes.

"He is here, Mother," Jeff promised, moving to give her a hug. "He's always with us."

"You're right," she said with a sad smile. "I'm going to go get some coffee. You two want anything?"

Jeff and Lucy declined, content to just have each other and their new son. It was nice to have a quiet moment, away from visitors and nurses. Today was the proudest moment he had ever experienced, even surpassing the moon landing. This – his son – was what life was all about.

"We really did it," Lucy said, laughter in her voice. "We're actually parents."

"Kinda scary," Jeff admitted, "but I think we can handle it."

"I hope so, for his sake."

The new father chuckled, assuring his wife that she would be the most incredible mother in the world. After all, she was the most incredible woman in the world. It stood to reason that would make her an exceptional mother. Lucy accepted the compliment and returned it with equal conviction that he would be an outstanding father. Looking down at his son as he drifted off to sleep, he promised Scott he would do his absolute best to live up to his wife's expectations.

 **10 MONTHS LATER**

Lucy looked over to where Scott was sprawled out on his playmat, before returning her attention to the meal she was preparing. Everything had to be perfect for tonight. So far so good.

"Okay," she said to herself, "I have the chicken, the salad, the potatoes, the bread rolls … what am I missing?"

Scott gurgled happily, batting at one of the toys hanging above him; specifically, his favorite blue bird. That was it! Thanking her son for his help, Lucy pulled the blueberry pie out of the freezer. It was one of Jeff's favorites and she just hoped she could get it cooked in time.

"Sweetheart?"

Oh great, he was home early! Shoving the frozen pie into the oven, Lucy set the temperature and took note of the time. Here's hoping she could remember to check it before it burned. That done, she took a deep breath and went back to the living room. Jeff was sitting next to the playmat, holding a plastic plane above Scott while the baby tried to get it.

"Hi," Lucy greeted with a smile. "I didn't think you would be home until 5:30."

"The meeting didn't go as long as expected," he explained, getting up to give her a kiss. "How was your day?"

"Eventful. You hungry?"

He nodded, scooping up Scott and depositing him in the highchair. Lucy handed her husband a jar of pureed carrots and one of the baby spoons. While he gave their son his dinner, she dished them up and tried to decide how to go about their coming conversation. She could just come out and say it, but didn't want it to come across as trivial. She could build up to it, but that required patience that her excitement seemed to have erased. Should she hint at it or be more direct?

"Honey?"

"Yes?" she answered.

"I'm not sure I can eat that many potatoes."

Looking down, Lucy realized that she had left no room on the plate for anything else. Maybe the direct approach was best; it would certainly explain her behavior. Muttering an apology, she scraped most of the potatoes back into the bowl. She added chicken and salad to his plate, before moving onto her own. Yes, the direct approach was best.

"Jeff, have you thought about what it would be like to have more children?"

Okay, maybe the slightly-direct approach.

"Sure," he replied, seeming a little surprised by the question. "Don't you remember all those talks we had about having a big family?"

"Yes, but how soon did you want one?"

"One what?" Jeff questioned, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What are you saying?"

Unable to keep her smile back any longer, Lucy leaned over and whispered her news to her husband. He was quiet for a second, but soon he was grinning as much as she was. Reaching over, he placed his hand on Scott's shoulder, distracting the boy from the artwork he was making of the carrots that he had knocked onto his tray.

"You hear that, Buddy? You're gonna be a big brother?"

He responded by throwing an orange glob on the floor. Understandable at his age, but Lucy hoped he would react much better when the new baby arrived. She always wanted a lot of children, and she was well on her way to getting her wish.

* * *

So, how do you think Scott will react?

Let me know what you think as I prepare the next chapter for posting tomorrow.


	2. John

**And now for the next part ...**

This was actually the first chapter I wrote and it set the stage (format) for all the others. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. :)

 _Just a heads up, I am basing their ages in this story on the original published birthdays (and it took quite a bit of research to track them all down). So, for those of you who think Scott is ten or more years older than Alan, that is not the case here. I base all my stories in the original series around these birthdays, from Camp Gatewood to whatever I write next, so please do not make any corrections on order or ages. Thank you._

Once again, I would like to thank my sister, Cherise, for acting as my beta and giving insight into how parents react to things. (She has 3 children.)

This chapter is dedicated to CreativeGirl29 for being the first to review to this new story.

Enjoy ...

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Scott squirmed in his father's arms, as Jeff attempted to get him closer to the bassinet without the toddler falling into it. He and Lucy had been worried about how the boy would react to a new baby, he was barely more than a baby himself! They had spent months trying to get him used to the idea, even going so far as to buy him a doll to practice with – which did not end well when he attempted to bathe the thing in the toilet. Well, this was no rehearsal: it was now the moment of truth.

"Scotty," he whispered. "Say hi to your new brother, John."

The small boy stared in wonder, gripping the side of the hospital crib. The baby was facing to the wall, seeming mesmerized by his tiny fists, but turned his head a moment later. Bright blue eyes peered up at them, mirroring the ones that were looking down. Jeff wished he could get a better look at his firstborn's face to make sure that everything was all right. He glanced over his shoulder at Lucy, but she just gave him a tired shrug. They had done all they could, now it was up to Scott to see if he would–

"Mine!"

Jeff whipped his head back to see a big grin on his little boy's face. The toddler pointed into the bassinet and repeated his claim.

"Mine. Baby mine!"

Letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, Jeff allowed himself to relax. They had been warned that Scott might reject the new baby – and honestly still could change his mind – but this was a good start.

"Hello, Lucy," the nurse greeted with a smile as she stepped in the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Just fine, Judy," she replied. "A little tired though."

"Mine!" Scott announced again, pointed at John.

"Yes, that is your brother," Judy nodded. "Now, I'm just going to take him to the nursery for-"

"No!" he shouted, grabbing at the nurse. "Baby mine!"

"Scotty!" Jeff scolded, apologizing to the woman as he attempted to extract his son's fingers from her hair. "He's not usually like this."

"It's all right," Judy said, though her smile seemed slightly forced. "Don't worry, I'm gonna bring your brother right back."

"No!" Scott said adamantly, latching onto the side of the crib. "MINE!"

Knowing that they weren't going to convince him otherwise – and because his shouting was starting to upset John – the nurse relented to giving the baby a bath and check up in the room with them. Working under Scott's scowling eye, Judy cleaned John with a washcloth and laid him on Lucy to warm up afterward. The newly-made big brother then proceeded to wiggle until his father placed him on the bed, where he curled up on his mother and put one little hand on John's back.

"Baby mine."

Jeff sighed and gave his wife a smile. At least he wasn't shunning him, although his natural brother instincts _were_ a bit strong. Then again, John was brand new. In a few weeks, Scott would probably forget he was there.

 **3 MONTHS LATER**

"Mommy! Mine hungy!"

Lucy sighed and grabbed the now warm bottle before bringing it into the living room. Scott was in his usual spot on the couch, right next to the crib where he could keep an eye on his brother. At least this time he was keeping his toys on the seat with him instead of trying to share – the poor kid had felt horrible after he made John cry by dropping a plastic airplane on his face. Now if only they could get him to learn the baby's name …

"Scotty, can you say Johnny?"

He shook his head and return his attention to his toy plane. At least he was honest in his refusal to identify his brother as anything other than _Mine_. Giving in – for now – Lucy picked up the increasingly fussy baby and took a seat in Jeff's recliner, so she could feed him. Normally she would have gone to the wooden rocking chair, but today she needed the extra comfort of plush cushions; today she was more than a little overwhelmed.

"Honey?" Jeff called from the direction of the front door.

Whispering a prayer of thanks – and a small request for strength – she called out that they were in the living room. Not that she had to, because Scott was already on his way to "help" him find the mother and baby. If Jeff was surprised to find her out of her usual seat, he didn't say anything. He simply gave her a kiss and offered up the bag of take-out he had brought home.

"I love you so much right now," Lucy murmured, shifting John to her shoulder to burp him.

"I live to serve. Do you want me to take over?"

"I got him, but if you could get Chuck Yeager to eat, I would be eternally grateful."

Jeff chuckled and went over to the couch to get Scott, who immediately launched into a full account of his day – or at least that's what it sounded like. He may look and act like a 2-year-old, but his speech was still a little behind. A big belch signaled that John was ready for the other half of his bottle, and Lucy turned her focus back to the task at hand. The moment he was finished, Jeff was standing over her with a plate of Chinese food that was as warm as his smile.

"You want me to take him?"

"Please," she muttered.

They switched, and Jeff proceeded to burp John a second time while Lucy dug into her green bean chicken and chow mien. Her husband was the most wonderful man in the world.

"Rough day?" Jeff asked, taking a seat on the couch.

"You have _no_ idea."

"Ah done!" Scott announced, scrambling down to reveal an empty plate surrounded by noodles and bits of chicken. "Mine pay?"

Lucy muttered another prayer of strength and Jeff reached over to take her hand.

"Don't worry, he'll learn Johnny's name … eventually."

"He's gonna have to," Lucy stated, spearing a green bean. "Otherwise, what's he going to do when the next one gets here?"

"Well, we have some time to think about that."

"About seven months."

Jeff gave her a confused look before realization dawned on his face. Lucy braced herself, unsure of how he was going to react. Sure, they had always wanted a big family … but this soon after John?

"Are you sure?" he asked, once he found his voice.

"I took the test twice."

He just sat their stunned, until Scott made it clear he was still waiting for an answer. The parents relented, and Jeff put the baby down on his play mat. With a big grin, Scott lay down next to him pointing out the various hanging toys dangling above them. Once the boys were settled, the adults returned to their conversation.

"It will be okay," Jeff assured his wife. "Scotty loves Johnny and I'm sure he will love the next baby just as much."

Lucy couldn't help it: she laughed.

" _That's_ what worries me!"

* * *

So, do you all see where the title came from?

Let me know what you think while I get the next chapter ready to post tomorrow.


	3. Virgil

**The halfway point ...**

I meant to have this up sooner, but I had several places to go this morning and just couldn't find the tie before I left. Well, I'm home now, so here it is. :)

Again, I would like to thank my dear sister, Cherise, for her input and beta work.

This chapter is dedicated to Helensg for having a very similar reaction to the timing of the births as my sister, Courtney, who acted as a sounding board through the writing process.

Enjoy ...

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Jeff entered the waiting area, smiling at the sight of Scott helping John build a block tower. It hadn't been hard to get their eldest excited about the idea of a new baby – especially a brother – but there was no way the younger of the two understood what was happening. They had even brought out the baby doll they had used with Scott, but it had been completely ignored.

"One more, Tohnny."

The little guy obediently added the last block, the act of which immediately sent the whole tower crashing to the carpet. Both boys burst into giggles, but all Jeff could do was send up a small prayer of thanks that Scott was finally using his brother's proper name – now if only he could pronounce J's.

"Daddy!" his eldest squealed, scrambling up to grab his knees in a hug. "Baby here, Daddy? Virgie here?"

"Yes, Scotty. Virgil's here."

In fact, he had been here for several hours, but he and Lucy thought it best to wait until after he got done with his bath and checkups before bringing in his brothers – especially after last time. Sharing a look with his mother, Jeff scooped up John and took Scott by the hand, leading the way down the hall. Once they stepped into the hospital room, John reached for Lucy while Scott looked around for the bassinet. Setting the ten-month old on the bed with his wife, Jeff allowed Scott to pull him over to the crib, so he could lift him high enough to see.

"Hi, Virgie," he whispered. "Me bra'der."

Virgil stared up at him and yawned, but that just made Scott giggle. Wiggling down, the boy ran over to the bed and reached up to grab John by the foot.

"Tohnny, see my bra'der!"

"He's not just your brother," Lucy corrected gently, stroking the top of John's head. "He's his brother too."

Scott tilted his head, as if this thought had never occurred to him. Jeff hoped they weren't about to go through a second stage of the 'mine' situation, but Scott seemed to accept this after a moments consideration.

"Kay, me tare," he nodded, tugging on his other brother's foot. "Come Tohnny, see Virgie."

"No," the ten-month old snapped, kicking his foot but not getting free. "Mama!"

"Virgie!"

"Mama!"

Letting go with a huff, Scott turned to his father. His face and tone were serious, but Jeff was having a hard time keeping a straight face as his firstborn tried a new tactic.

"Tohnny no like Virgie. My bra'der now. Kay?"

"Sorry, kiddo. You still have to share."

Letting out another dramatic huff, he turned to scowl at John, but the smaller boy matched his glare as he clung to Lucy's arm. This was going nowhere fast. Luckily, their mother proved to be the voice of reason and suggested that Virgil could join them on the bed rather than have John move. While the newly-made middle brother didn't seem to care – so long as he didn't have to move – this deal appeased Scott who insisted that he be the one to hold his new brother.

"Now, be gentle," Jeff advised as he carefully place the tiny baby in the boy's arms.

He didn't seem to hear as he smiled down at his brother, trying unsuccessfully to get John to talk to him. The ten-month old just shook his head and snuggled into his mother's side, quickly falling asleep. Was it nap time already?

"Me hep Tohnny, Daddy," Scott promised. "Tohnny be good bra'der."

"Yes," Lucy said with a smile, ruffling his dark hair. "I know you'll help Johnny be the best brother he can be, just like you."

Jeff shared a look with his wife, unsure if _he_ liked that idea. Sure, it would be nice for John to acknowledge he _had_ another brother. Still, he wasn't sure this family was ready for Scott 2.0 just yet. In any case, they were just going to have to wait and see how this played out.

 **11 MONTHS LATER**

Lucy stirred the spaghetti sauce, hoping that John's favorite meal might make this evening a little easier. Like with Scott, her second son's attitude about gaining a new sibling had changed very little. Of course, he was never aggressive or bitter toward his baby brother, just … indifferent. Then again, it was similar to the way he saw Scott: just someone who lived with them that he had to share his toys with.

"Mommy," Scott called, sticking his head into the room. "Can we have carlic bwed?"

She smiled at the question and pointed to the oven with a nod. While his sentence structure was improving, his pronunciation still needed work. Surprisingly, John was far ahead of where his brother had been at his age – when he actually spoke. It was amazing how different siblings could be developmentally. She wondered which of them Virgil would take after when he started talking. Speaking of which …

"I thought you were playing with Virgil."

"Johnny's doin' it."

Lucy froze with the sauce spoon halfway to her lips. While John had been known to enjoy both his brother's company – on occasion – he was not usually one to engage in play without Scott. Turning the burner down to simmer, she went into the living room to see for herself.

There was John, sitting in his father's chair with one of his counting picture books on his lap. One arm was stretched across the armrest with the stick of a cat-toy clutched in his hand as he slowly waved it back at forth. Chasing the bell and feathers attached to the stick was Virgil – who had caught the prize and was proceeding to stick it in his mouth.

"Virgil, no," Lucy scolded, retrieving her son before she had to pick feathers off his tongue. "John, that's Whiskers toy; it's not for babies."

"But he wikes it," Scott said in defense of his brother. "Way more den da kitty."

Jeff chose that moment to come home, causing both boys to forget about cats and toys as they ran to the front door with squeals of glee. By the time her husband had made it to the living room he had John in one arm and Scott wrapped around his leg.

"I think they missed me," he commented, leaning over to give Lucy a kiss.

"You have been gone all weekend," she pointed out.

"Daddy, you fo'got ta kiss Virgie!" Scott cried, pointing to the baby in his mother's arms.

Assuring him that he was just getting to that, Jeff gave Virgil a kiss on the head, but the baby seemed more interested in his colorful tie. With any luck, his love of color was a good sign for an artistic future. Her thoughts were interrupted when Jeff leaned closer.

"Did you tell them yet?" he whispered.

"Just waiting for you."

He nodded and led the boys to their booster seats, while Lucy strapped Virgil into the high chair. They dished up spaghetti with meatballs and sauce for Scott, noodles and sauce with cut up meatballs for John, and noodles with cut-up meatballs for the baby. Once they were all digging in, the parents prepared their own plates, but didn't start eating quite yet. They shared a look over the table before Jeff cleared his throat.

"Boys, there is something Mommy and I need to tell you."

John just gave him a blank stare while Scott looked curious as he bit into a meatball. Knowing that suspense never worked well with kids this age – particularly theirs – Lucy finished for her husband.

"We're going to have another baby."

"YAY!" Scott cheered, waving the other half of his meatball. "A new bra'der?"

"We'll have to wait and see," Jeff replied.

Their second born was not as excited.

"Virgie da baby," John said with a frown.

"Yeah, but he gettn' bigger," his older brother explained with a smile. "New baby will be small."

John thought about this a moment, then went back to eating. Lucy shared another look with her husband. Only time would tell if their quiet middle son would like a new baby. Who knows, maybe it will be one he can be quiet with …

* * *

Any chance baby #4 will be a quiet one? ;)

Let me know what you think and stay tuned for Baby Gordon.


	4. Gordon

**Here we go again ...**

Once again, I meant to have this up earlier, but got caught up with life stuff. I'm interested to see how you like my take on John's response to baby #4. ;)

This chapter is dedicated to lilidelafield for such a detailed review of my work.

A huge thanks to my sister, Cherise, for he beta work.

Enjoy ...

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Jeff entered the waiting area to see his three boys in their natural environments. Scott was playing with a model plane, John was looking at a picture book about outer space, and Virgil was exploring a pile of colorful blocks. The only strange thing was that the youngest two were seated on the floor together. Normally, his eldest took the responsibility of monitoring the baby's play and John … well, he hardly ever monitored the baby. Then again, that had changed lately. The last few weeks had been hard on his normally quiet son, probably due to the number of times Lucy went into false labor.

"Did it happen this time, Daddy?" Scott asked, lowering his plane. "Is Gordo here yet?"

"Yes," he confirmed with a smile. "Gordon is here and he's just fine."

Scott grinned at the news, but John frowned. Jeff wished he knew what was going on in that two-year-old brain. Virgil, on the other hand, seemed completely oblivious to the whole thing and was now playing with the end of an oversized red ribbon. Where did he get that thing? It looked like the kind Lucy used for crafting. Speaking of which …

"You want to go see Mommy now?"

That got a positive reaction from both Virgil and Scott, but John just quietly stood. Something was bothering him, and Jeff was determined to find out what it was. However, at the moment, he was distracted by his firstborn, trying to drag him down the hallway to his new brother.

"Mother, can you get those two?"

"I have Virgie," John insisted firmly.

Now this was very strange. Eight months ago, they were lucky to get John to acknowledge his younger brother, now he was joined to him at the hip. Well, as long as he wasn't hurting anything, Jeff wasn't about to complain. The group made their way down the hall, which made it obvious what the ribbon was for. With a sloppy bow on his back, Virgil toddled across the linoleum, John clutching the other end of the brightly colored leash.

"Did you tie that on him?" Jeff asked, not sure if he should scold him or praise his ingenuity.

"I no lose Virgie."

Fair enough. The group reached the door to Lucy's room and Scott raced inside to see his newest brother. Jeff began to follow with his mother when a small sound stopped him. Virgil was pulling against the ribbon, trying to get in the room, but John held him back with an angry scowl.

"Johnny, don't you want to meet your new brother? I bet Virgil –"

"Virgie my bra'der. No new bra'der. No lose Virgie."

Suddenly, seven months of sulking had become clear. John thought that they were going to trade Virgil for Gordon. No wonder he had been sticking to him like glue; the poor kid must have been terrified of losing him!

"No one is going to take Virgil from you," Jeff swore, kneeling to look his son in the eye. "He is your brother and always will be. You just have another one now."

"Pwamise? No lose Virgie?"

"I promise. Now, would you like to meet Gordon?"

John sighed and nodded, letting go of the ribbon. Virgil, realizing he was free, hurried into the room. Jeff took his two-year-old's hand and lead him over to the bed. Scott was sitting beside Lucy, beaming down at the scrunched-up face of their newest addition.

"Look, Johnny. It's Gordo."

The boy looked at the baby with an expression of serious contemplation. It would almost be funny, if he had not been known to reject change. After a moment, he seemed to be done studying the baby and scooted down to the end of the bed where Virgil was playing with the ribbon.

"No worry, Virgie. You look better; no squishy"

Now Jeff couldn't help himself. He chuckled as he tried to calm down his outraged eldest, who insisted that it was fine if his brother was squishy. Scott spent the next several minutes reassuring Gordon that he liked squishy babies and, if the other two didn't like him, he always would. After a while, it was getting close to lunchtime. So, Jeff helped his mother strap the boys into the car, so they could head home.

"Can I see Gordo tomorrow, Daddy?" Scott asked, trying to work the buckle himself.

"Sure, he'll be coming home then," Jeff replied, helping him out. "You be good for your Grandma."

He promised he would, and would make sure John and Virgil did too. A father couldn't ask for more than that. After watching them drive away, Jeff headed back to his wife's room. It was Daddy's turn to hold his 'squishy' baby.

Best Valentine's Day ever.

 **3 MONTHS LATER**

Lucy carried in the last batch of groceries, checking her penned in children as she passed by. Virgil was plucking away on his toy piano, while Scott and John argued about the squishiness of jellyfish. Maybe that trip to the aquarium was a mistake.

"Gordo does NOT look like dellyfish," Scott said adamantly.

"Gordo Smoove, dellyfish Smoove," John reasoned, just as stubbornly. "Gordo squishy, dellyfish squishy. Gordo dellyfish."

The argument along with the sounds of Virgil's latest non-symphony was giving Lucy a headache. However, the object the debate seemed perfectly content as he chewed on the leg of his new stuffed jellyfish, that John insisted he needed. Now she knew why …

"Gordo like dellyfish."

"Virgie like cars; he no car."

And so it continued. Today, however, Lucy was too distracted by other issues than whether or not her infant looked like a jellyfish. Today, she would just be happy to get the groceries put away without any bloodshed. Deciding to start with the acetaminophen – as Virgil had started singing along, to what she now recognized was his rendition of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" – Lucy prayed her headache would be gone by the time her husband got home.

"Spiders are scary," Scott said, seemingly done with the jellyfish debate. "Play one about planes for Gordo."

So, he was playing the music for Gordon? Well, Lucy wasn't about to complain about the boys trying to help each other, even if they did have their own unique ways of doing it. Unfortunately for her headache, their unique ways often clashed.

"Gordo no like planes," John pointed out. "Sing 'bout fishies."

"Everyone like planes. Sing 'bout planes!"

"Fishies!"

"Planes!"

"Fishies!"

"Planes"

"MA-WEE HAD AH WIT-TA WAM!" Virgil sang at the top of his lungs.

Lucy laughed along with Gordon, though she doubted her infant really understood what had happened. The young Mozart's intervention ended the debates and the house was at peace until Jeff got home. Of course, the arrival of her husband revived every question and disagreement the boys had since they arrived at the aquarium.

"Daddy, can sharks eat me?" Scott wondered.

"Whales bigger den sharks," John informed him.

"I pay fo Dodo," Virgil said with a grin.

"John said Gordo look like dellyfish!" Scott accused.

"Gordo like dellyfish," John stated.

"Dodo wike wams!" Virgil countered. "Mawee's wams."

Jeff gave each of the boys a smile and nod before whispering to his wife for a translation of what they were talking about. Lucy promised to explain it later, but she had more important things to talk about. First things first, she had to get the boys fed. Recruiting Jeff to get them seated, she divided up the fish-sticks and fries among the older boys and put a bottle in water to warm.

"Here you are," she said cheerfully, handing out the plastic plates.

Unfortunately, Lucy was a little distracted and accidently gave the moon plate to Scott and the plane plate to John. If Jeff hadn't caught it before the boys did, she may have started World War Three in the dining room. A quick apology, a short prayer – for strength as well as blessing the food – and she went back to the kitchen to check on the bottle. Her husband followed her a minute later, concern evident in his eyes.

"Are you okay? What did the doctor say?"

"What did the doctor say?" Lucy echoed, not sure if she was going to laugh or cry. "Jeff, I'm pregnant again."

He stared at her in shock before looking over his shoulder at their boys. She assured him that they didn't know yet and, quite frankly, wasn't sure how to tell them. Scott would be thrilled, that much they could be sure of, but she didn't know if John could handle another sibling. Virgil might be okay, as he was such a mellow baby to begin with, but it was too early to tell with Gordon.

"Hey," Jeff said gently, taking her into his arms, "it will be okay. We've had multiple infants in the house before, we can do it again. Everything will be fine."

Lucy nodded, taking strength from her husband. She had always wanted a big family, but she never thought she would get one so soon. Jeff held her hand as they reentered the dinning room, walking in on the current debate about flying an airplane to the moon.

"Boys, Mommy and I need to tell you something."

Scott and John waited patently while Virgil stuck another fry into his mouth. It was now or never …

"Mommy is going to have another baby," Jeff said, his voice excited.

"Yes!" Scott cheered.

"Why?" John asked.

"Mo pweese!" Virgil said, holding up his empty plate.

Well, that went as well as could be expected.

* * *

So, was it what you expected?

Funny story: John's response to the announcement of baby #5 is the same reaction my little brother had when he was 3 and found out my mom was having another kid. I'll never forget that day ... or the laughter it caused.

Let me know what you think while I prep the final chapter.


	5. Alan

**Final chapter!**

So, here we are: the birth of the fifth and final son. To be honest, this is probably my favorite chapter in this story. (I think you'll see why when you get to the end.) At this point, the birth of a child has become routine for the Tray family - but that might just make it better. :)

This story is dedicated to CreativeGirl29, Helensg, and phnxgrl for reviewing every chapter.

A big thanks to my sister and first time beta, Cherise, for all her help.

Enjoy ...

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Jeff walked down the hall toward the waiting area. Five sons. He now had _five_ sons. Little Alan Shepard Tracy had been in this world about an hour now, healthy and strong. Lucy was tired, but happy and eager for her family to be all together. Reaching the doorway to the waiting area, he heard his eldest two coaching his – now – second youngest.

"Okay, Gordo, when we see Alan he's gonna be real small," Scott explain, "so you can't hold him until your bigger, unless Mommy helps you."

"And don't jump on Mommy until she feels better," John added.

Sound advice. Lucy would be sore for a while and they didn't want to make things worse for her. Good thing his elder sons were so attentive to the younger ones.

"You're a big brother now, so you gotta help out and stuff," Scott continued. "You gotta share everything and play with him every day. Got it?"

"Gwacker!"

"No," John corrected. "Babies are too little for crackers."

"I want a cwacker."

"In a minute, Virgil," Scott promised. "We gotta see Baby Alan first."

"Gwacker! Gwacker!"

"I said, in a minute!"

Jeff chuckled to himself, deciding it was best not to put it off anymore. Nothing was worse than a hungry toddler – except two of them. Besides, it seemed that Scott was just as impatient as his brother – although for different reasons – and there was no reason to delay things any longer.

"Hey, boys, who's ready to meet Alan?"

"Me!"

"I am!"

"Me too!"

"Gwacker!"

Close enough. Jeff reached down to pick up Gordon, but Scott insisted that he could get him. Though his eldest wasn't quiet as possessive of his brother as he used to be, he wasn't about to take this moment from him. So, swinging Virgil up to his hip, the fifth-time father led the way down the hallway. Scott held one of Gordon's hands, while John took the other, and the three followed at the one-year-old's pace.

"Here we are," Jeff announced, bringing his middle son over to the bassinette. "Say hi to Alan."

"Hi Awan, I Virgie," he greeted, latching onto the side of the hospital crib. "I wike cowors. I wike ye-yo, and wed, and gween, and …"

The father couldn't help but chuckle at what a two-year-old deemed the most important thing to tell his newest brother. It was also amazing how many words he pronounced with the W-sound in it, especially when they weren't spelled with a W – yet the one word that was spelled with a W didn't have one. However, he had to cut him off to make room for his other brothers to greet the baby.

"Gordo, this is Alan," John introduced, helping Scott lift the boy up so he could see.

"See?" Scott said with a grin. "He's much better than a cracker."

"Baby," Gordon whispered, reaching out for him.

Jeff couldn't move fast enough to stop him before little nails scraped against new skin. Alan let out a wail which seemed to scare Gordon enough to make him cry. Before the man could blink, Scott had pulled the toddler away and wrapped his arms around him, promising that everything was okay – poor kid thought he broke his brother. While that was going on, John was leaning into the bassinet, checking on the baby and promising _he_ would be okay. It was a good thing they were so quick, because Gordon wasn't the only one upset by Alan's cries.

"Awan okay, Daddy? Awan Okay?"

"Yes, Virgil. Alan's just fine."

And with this mob around him, he always would be. Jeff shared a look with his wife, who reached out for her middle son. When he handed him over, Lucy held his hand for a few seconds, silently conveying her joy at having the whole family together. The boys seemed ready to adapt to a new brother … but was their house ready for a fifth son?

 **6 MONTHS LATER**

Lucy wasn't a person who stressed easily. Being a mother of five very young boys left no room for breakdowns. However, there were still days that it seemed to never end. The move to the family farm couldn't come soon enough. Having the elder Mrs. Tracy around those first few weeks had been a godsend. She didn't know what she would have done without the extra set of eyes … and hands … and feet. Speaking of which, that sounded like Jeff's car out front.

Walking through the living room, Lucy took a second to make sure that no one was bleeding or about to break anything. Virgil was finger-painting his latest masterpiece, Gordon was sharing his stuffed fish with Alan on the playmat, and Scott and John were playing with their oversized go-fish cards. Of course, they would become calm when their father got home.

"Hi, sweetheart," Jeff greeted, leaning over to give her a kiss. "How was your day."

"I'm not sure you want to know," Lucy answered honestly.

"That bad huh?"

"Let's just say, there is a reason Gordon and Alan have no clothes on."

He grimaced and offered to help make dinner. It was impossible to stay annoyed at him, especially since she was only annoyed that he hadn't been there to keep their babies out of the jam long enough for her to get the peanut butter out of John's hair. As sweet as it was for them to offer to make lunch, she was not letting any of them in the kitchen again – at least until they were 30.

"It's gonna be okay," Jeff promised. "This time next week, we'll be back in Kansas, in a bigger place, and another set of hands to help out."

"That's next week," Lucy signed. "Can't you take a few days off? At least to help us pack?"

"I'll do what I can, but start-ups take a lot of work."

While she understood that, it was still hard. At least the boys tended to look after each other, even if they may not do it in the best of ways. Her firstborn was so responsible, and her next two were so calm and quiet … she should have seen the last two coming.

"Mommy!" Scott called, running into the kitchen with a paper in his hands. "Virg made a picture!"

He proudly held up the colorful portrait of a fruit tree – or maybe it was a puppy – and Lucy couldn't help but smile. At least they were behaving themselves. Jeff took the painting, commenting on how good it was, and stuck it to the refrigerator with a magnet.

"Gordo made a picture too," Scott informed them.

"Well, bring it here. We can put it next to Virgil's."

"We can't," Scott shook his head.

"Why not?" Lucy asked.

"Because Alan won't stick to the fridge."

It took about half a second for his words to sink in and both parents hurried into the living room. Sure enough, Gordon had indeed painted several brightly colored splotches … all over his baby brother's back.

"At least they're getting along," Jeff offered. "I'll get Michelangelo, if you want to clean up the Sistine Chapel."

She nodded and carefully picked up her youngest son. Good thing they only bought the boys washable paint. Heaven help them all when Virgil discovered oil pastels. As she scrubbed her baby in one sink, and Jeff washed their toddler's hands in the other, Lucy looked over at them.

"Just so you know, we're done at five."

"Mommy! Daddy! Johnny made the kitty fly!"

Her husband sighed and set Gordon on the floor. The boy ran straight for the living room, calling for their cat. Jeff, moving much slower, handed Lucy a towel for Alan and followed him out.

"Agreed."

* * *

What did you think?

Let me know while I get back to work on Camp Gatewood.


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